Key Takeaways From Day 1 of the Democratic National Convention

The Democratic National Convention commenced in Chicago on Monday, where President Joe Biden effectively passed the torch to Vice President Kamala Harris as the party’s nominee.

Joe’s Speech: Biden took the stage around 10:30 PM local time, receiving a lengthy ovation and delivering a 50-minute speech. Biden put his full support behind the Harris-Walz ticket, criticized former President Trump, and touted some of his administration’s accomplishments. He also touched on his decision to abandon his campaign, saying, “I love the job. I love my country more.”

Hillary Speaks: 2016 Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton spoke of the historic circumstances in which Harris vies for the presidency as a woman, saying she is poised to break the “glass ceiling.”

Surprise Kamala: Harris, who will give her acceptance speech on Thursday, made a brief surprise appearance. The Hill (Center bias) concluded, “A primary purpose of her appearance was surely to provide compelling images for Monday’s late-night local news broadcasts and Tuesday’s front pages.”

Gaza Protests: Outside the convention, thousands of pro-Palestinian protesters took to the streets to express their discontent with the United States’ approach to the war in Gaza.

How The Media Covered It: Outlets across the spectrum highlighted several of the same key occurrences, but different framing was most evident in the reporting of Gaza protests. The Hill emphasized that the protests weren’t as big as some feared they could be, while The Washington Examiner (Lean Right bias) wrote that they caused “havoc.” CNN (Lean Left bias) noted that the convention’s speakers largely avoided mentioning Gaza.